Raiders have their work cut out for them in training camp

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As the Raiders hole to unfastened grooming campy this week, expectations are connected the rise.

Now successful his 4th play astatine the helm, Jon Gruden has built a playoff-caliber discourtesy led by backmost Derek Carr, who is coming disconnected the champion play of his vocation and has an awesome radical of weapons. Gruden has besides enlisted the assistance of aged person Gus Bradley to assistance get the defence successful presumption to yet clasp up its extremity of the bargain.

If Bradley succeeds, the Raiders could beryllium a morganatic playoff team.

In bid of importance, present are the astir pressing issues.

1. Can the beforehand 4 get unit connected the QB?

The Raiders generated conscionable 14.5 sacks past twelvemonth from their antiaircraft line, an embarrassingly debased fig that had a ripple effect crossed the remainder of the defense. A akin output successful 2021 is unacceptable.

The bully caller is newcomer Yannick Ngakoue has been 1 of the champion walk rushers successful the NFL since arriving successful the league successful 2016. His beingness should lengthen a antiaircraft extremity rotation that features Maxx Crosby, Cle Ferrell, Carl Nassib and possibly rookie Malcolm Koonce. The Raiders besides beefed up the interior by adding Quinton Jefferson, Darius Philon and Solomon Thomas and re-signing Johnathan Hankins.

Bradley hopes to physique a two- oregon three-line rotation, the nonsubjective being to enactment the Raiders successful amended presumption successful late-game and late-season situations by utilizing fresher players.

Keep an oculus connected Ferrell, who should commencement drives astatine antiaircraft extremity but could determination wrong connected known passing downs to marque country for Crosby and Ngakoue to tag squad disconnected the edge.

2. Is a rebuilt violative enactment ready?

The Raiders took a calculated hazard this offseason by trading seasoned halfway Rodney Hudson and defender Gabe Jackson. They besides moved connected from oft-injured close tackle Trent Brown. In doing so, it puts unit connected rookie close tackle Alex Leatherwood, caller halfway Andre James and either Denzelle Good oregon John Simpson to regenerate Jackson astatine guard.

A afloat offseason, coupled with a mean grooming campy successful which they volition signifier against the Rams — and All-Pro antiaircraft tackle Aaron Donald — gives the violative enactment a leap commencement connected the transition.

Also, the instrumentality of preseason games should mean immoderate extended playing clip for a radical that has to deed the crushed running. It besides helps that seasoned near defender Richie Incognito is backmost aft missing each but 2 games past twelvemonth and volition resume his relation alongside near tackle Kolton Miller.

3. Who wins the slot cornerback position?

Lamarcus Joyner, who is present with the Jets, was a disappointment the past 2 years, but helium astatine slightest was a seasoned beingness successful the slot. As the Raiders caput to grooming camp, that is simply a presumption they volition person to fig retired connected the fly.

Bradley mentioned seasoned Nevin Lawson arsenic a candidate, but support successful caput helium volition unfastened the play connected the NFL’s suspended database for the archetypal 2 games for a usurpation of the league’s performance-enhancing cause policy. That opens the doorway for either second-year country Amik Robertson oregon rookie Nate Hobbs, who impressed the unit during OTAs.

The Raiders are eagerly awaiting the afloat pads play of grooming campy to get a amended thought of who is acceptable to assertion the position. But it apt won’t beryllium until aft the 3 preseason games that a victor emerges.

4. Is Henry Ruggs acceptable to shine?

While the Raiders expressed restitution with Ruggs’ rookie season, they besides request him to instrumentality a large measurement guardant and go the explosive limb they hoped for upon drafting him 12th wide successful 2020.

Ruggs volition beryllium fascinating to ticker during grooming camp, arsenic it is incumbent connected him to marque the astir of his opportunities to physique spot with backmost Derek Carr and caput manager Jon Gruden. The much Ruggs seizes his opportunities successful campy and during the preseason, the much Gruden volition telephone his fig and Carr volition consciousness comfy getting him the ball.

It is besides connected Gruden to fig retired amended ways to get Ruggs activated aboriginal and often. Don’t expect the Raiders to wholly propulsion the curtains backmost connected each their plans for Ruggs during camp, but getting disconnected to a bully commencement is captious for the second-year wide receiver.

5. Can Cory Littleton bounce back?

The Raiders believed they were getting a difference-maker upon signing Littleton to a escaped cause declaration successful 2020. But the erstwhile Rams linebacker was a immense disappointment and played tentatively astir each year.

Littleton should payment from the much player-friendly defence of caller coordinator Gus Bradley. Plus, a amended bid of his relation could escaped him up to beryllium the subordinate who dominated games with the Rams earlier successful his career. Bradley talked Littleton up during OTAs, a definite motion that the seasoned linebacker could beryllium settling backmost down.

The Raiders request him to beryllium the subordinate they envisioned upon signing him. It apt won’t instrumentality agelong for the existent Littleton to measurement up. If not, it could mean different agelong twelvemonth for him.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore astatine vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore connected Twitter.

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